Concierge Chat

Chooi Li Loo, Hotel Manager at W Hong Kong

Chooi Li Loo, Hotel Manager at W Hong Kong, shares with us her experience in the hospitality industry.

CityLife: Can you tell us how you got started in the hotel industry?

Chooi Li: I loved hotels when I was young. My parents would take me to the top hotels in Kuala Lumpur where I grew up to eat or just to visit – I thought it was a big deal. So when I was deciding on universities, I went to an education fair, and one school in Sydney was offering a hotel school programme that trained you in a real hotel environment. So I enrolled and I’ve stayed in the hotel industry ever since.

CL:What is your favourite part of the job and why?

Chooi Li: It’s hard to say since everything just gels together. I guess in the end it’s the sense of belonging to the place and connecting with the guests, which makes it feel like a family.

CL:Have you observed any changes in guests’ service needs?

Chooi Li: Guests want to feel looked after; they want more than the basics. So we are always thinking how to make our guests feel more at home. Our slogan is “Whatever, Whenever”, reflecting our service mindset.

CL:Any memorable requests from guests that you can share with us?

Chooi Li: Sure. One time a guest planned to propose to his girlfriend and he asked us to help. So we closed the wet deck after hours and decorated it with balloons and brought out the champagne. He took her up and it was private and romantic; she accepted his proposition, of course. How could a girl say no! Another time, one guest was having his 100th stay with us, and we knew he liked James Bond movies. So we decorated his suite in a “Casino Royale” theme, with board games, and a few of his favourite hotel staff and some of his friends waited for him. Needless to say he was gobsmacked.

CL: What do you do to relax after work?

Chooi Li: I mostly relax and rest, like strolling in the park near the hotel` or swimming in the evening when the weather permits.

CHOOI LI RECOMMENDS

Favourite local Hong Kong food:

All my friends want to eat Char Siu Bao (roasted pork bun) when they come to Hong Kong. I particularly like the Baked Char Siu Bao. And roast goose is another

dish that Hong Kong is famous for; I like to get mine from Kam’s Kitchen in Wanchai.

Itinerary for visitors:

Most people have some ideas about what to do when they come to Hong Kong as tourists. For our guests I would recommend they start their day with either an all-you-can-eat dim sum buffet or a filled up breakfast, depending on whether it's the weekend or a weekday. I recommend the street markets like the Goldfish and Flower markets in Mongkok. The Peak is a must and do try the Peak Tram. The Aqua Luna is nice for a dinner cruise around the harbour. And hiking is something that many of our guests like to do – there are so many good trails.